Cryo-ER · Unveiling the Cryosphere's Role in Earth System Resilience

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Project objective

The cryosphere, the frozen part of the Earth system, critically regulates Earth system dynamics and resilience. Despite accumulating evidence of the cryosphere's multiple roles for regulating climatic, ecological, hydrological, and biogeochemical processes, all these aspects impacting Earth system resilience have generally been investigated separately and in isolation so far. The most well-established framework for assessing Earth resilience risks – the planetary boundaries (PB) framework – hitherto does not explicitly consider the critical roles of the cryosphere. Furthermore, an integrated and effective approach is still needed to help understand the broader, systemic role of the cryosphere changes in the Earth system resilience and relevant PBs transgression. To address these gaps, The Cryo-ER aims to systematically detect the role of cryosphere perturbations in Earth system resilience and associated PBs transgression, by developing and integrating explicit cryosphere modules into an user-friendly and transparent FRIDA system dynamics model. Specifically, the Cryo-ER will first integrate the main components of the cryosphere as dynamic, interacting sub-modules within the FRIDA model, enabling the quantification of key cryosphere stocks, flows, and interactions in Earth system. Secondly, Earth system resilience status, tipping dynamics, hysteresis, and cascading effects driven by various cryosphere perturbations will be systematically detected. Finally, the impacts of cryosphere perturbations on PB transgressions in terms of probability, magnitude, duration and reversibility will be further assessed. This action is of great scientific, socioeconomic, and environmental interest, and will have an invaluable impact on (i) getting new insights into cryosphere changes and associated Earth system risks; (ii) improving the PB framework for a better governance of the Earth resilience; and (iii) advancing applicant's professional maturity, excellence and independence.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• POTSDAM-INSTITUT FUR KLIMAFOLGENFORSCHUNG EV · PotsdamCoordinatorGermany

Links

• View on CORDIS
• DOI: 10.3030/101280067